Farming
Welcome to Nice Roots Farm
Help us grow healthy produce for the community at Share’s quarter-acre urban farm.
Get your Hands Dirty
Nice Roots Farm is an urban agriculture project, started in 2010, located next to the Share Warehouse in the Allegheny West neighborhood of Philadelphia.
The farm grows nearly 5,000 lbs. of fully organic vegetables and herbs per year, and donates the yield to the community, Share-affiliated pantries, and mutual aid networks.
We host volunteers for Community Farming Days from May through December each year—no green thumb necessary to participate! All farming tasks for each day are taught and demonstrated by our farm team.
Through partnerships with the Philadelphia Orchard Project, PHS, and Penn State Extension, Nice Roots features 20+ fruiting trees, two high tunnels for extended season growing and harvesting, and 20+ raised beds.
Through a collaboration with Splash Projects and The Wharton School, Nice Roots also now has an expansive outdoor classroom space, outdoor demonstration kitchen, and greenhouse.
A main function of Nice Roots Farm is to serve as a demonstration and educational space for the community.
Senior Farm Manager Ellie Kaplan can be reached at ekaplan@sharefoodprogram.org.
You’ll Be Doing
- Preparing beds for planting
- Harvesting & processing produce
- Maintaining plants (weeding, watering, fertilizing)
- Mulching trees & shrubs
- Cleaning up the grounds
- Starting seeds and planting
- Pruning
Volunteering Requirements and Things to Know
- All ages are welcome; anyone under 16 should be accompanied by an adult
- Check the weather a day before your shift! Remember that this experience is fully outside, so wear the appropriate amount of layers to be comfortable
- Bring a water bottle and garden gloves if you have them
- Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and closed-toe shoes/boots
- Safety first! We highly encourage sun protection – much of the work area has full sun exposure most of the day! Recommended but not required: a hat, lightweight long sleeves and pants
- If you are prone to mosquito bites or allergic to insect stings, please take proper precautions before arriving
